Transaction authentication using virtual/augmented reality

ABSTRACT

Apparatus and methods for authenticating a proxy for executing a transaction on behalf of a customer. The authentication may be based at least in part on the movement of a three-dimensional object in space. The object may have a plurality of faces. Movement of the object may be tracked by a camera. The method may comprise receiving, from a first set of processors, a first two-dimensional pattern, a second two-dimensional pattern, a third two-dimensional pattern and a sequence for presenting the first, second and third pattern. The method may also comprise tracking, using a camera, the movement of the object in space. The method may further comprise capturing, using the camera, a first face, a second face and a third face of the object presented to the camera and recording, using the camera, a sequence in which the faces were presented to the camera.

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

Aspects of the disclosure relate to providing apparatus and methods forauthenticating a transaction based at least in part on the use ofvirtual and/or augmented reality. Aspects of the disclosure also relateto providing apparatus and methods for remotely authenticating a proxybased at least in part on the proxy's use of augmented reality and/orvirtual reality.

BACKGROUND

Legacy passwords and authentication codes typically require the input ofnumbers, letters and/or symbols to form an authentication code. Thenumbers and letters available to the user to create the code are limitedto the numbers, letters and symbols displayed on a keyboard or pad. Itwould be desirable, therefore, to provide systems and methods forenabling a user to create a password that includes actions that aredifferent from the legacy numbers, letters and symbols. Furthermore, ittypically is difficult for a user to remember a password that includes ameaningless string of numbers, letters and symbols. It would be furtherdesirable, therefore, to provide systems and methods for enabling a userto create a dynamic password that is engaging for the user and easy toremember.

Augmented reality and virtual reality are being increasingly used forboth entertainment and business purposes. Both augmented reality andvirtual reality include an almost limitless number of actions that canbe performed by the user within the augmented/virtual reality.Furthermore, augmented and virtual reality create engaging and excitingrealities for a user that can be easily remembered and repeated at alater point in time.

It would be desirable, therefore, to provide apparatus and methods forusing augmented and/or virtual reality for creating a user password. Itwould also be desirable to provide apparatus and methods for usingaugmented and/or virtual reality to authenticate a transaction based onactions performed by a user while using the augmented/virtual reality.

An individual may be presented with the need to authenticate a proxy forcarrying out one or more functions, such as financial transactions, onhis behalf. Remote authentication of a proxy can be difficult,especially when the individual is not present to verify that the personpresenting himself as the proxy is, in fact, the person that he desiresto be her/his proxy. It would be further desirable to provide apparatusand methods for using augmented and/or virtual reality to authenticate aproxy based on actions performed by the proxy while using theaugmented/virtual reality.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Systems, methods and apparatus for providing a password using augmentedand/or virtual reality are provided. Systems, methods and apparatus forauthenticating one or more of a transaction and a proxy are provided.

The apparatus may include an electronic transaction authenticationsystem for authenticating a proxy on behalf of a customer.

The authentication system may include a financial institution platform.The financial institution platform may receive from a customer one ormore of a voice recording, a customer bank account number, two or morephysical features of the proxy, two or more actions for being performingby the proxy in a virtual reality environment, and an amount of funds tobe withdrawn from the customer bank account and transferred to theproxy.

The authentication system may include a scanner including facialrecognition technology for scanning at least a portion of a physicalform of the proxy. The authentication system may include a virtualreality headset for displaying to the proxy the virtual realityenvironment and tracking the proxy's actions in the virtual realityenvironment.

The authentication system may include a financial transaction engineincluding a set of processors for determining if the scanned physicalform of the proxy includes the two or more features and determining ifthe proxy's actions in the virtual reality environment included the twoor more actions. The two or more processors may be configured toauthenticate the proxy and instruct an audio player for playing thevoice recording to the proxy if the physical form includes the two ormore features and the proxy's actions include the two or more actions.

The authentication system may include the audio player for playing thevoice recording to the proxy.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent uponconsideration of the following detailed description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like referencecharacters refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 shows an illustrative graphical user interface in accordance withthe invention;

FIG. 2 shows an illustrative graphical user interface in accordance withthe invention;

FIG. 3 shows steps of an illustrative process in accordance with theinvention; and

FIG. 4 shows steps of an illustrative process in accordance with theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Apparatus and methods for using augmented and/or virtual reality forauthentication purpose are provided.

The apparatus and methods of the invention may include an electronictransaction authentication system. The electronic transactionauthentication system may be used to authenticate a proxy on behalf of acustomer.

The criteria for authenticating the proxy may be based on criteria suchas patterns displayed on a three-dimensional object presented to acamera and a sequence of displaying the patterns to the camera, physicalfeatures of the proxy and/or actions taken by the proxy in a virtualreality environment.

The criteria are described herein as being selected by a customerdifferent from the proxy. In other embodiments, a financial institutionmay set the predetermined criteria. In these embodiments, the criteriabe a pre-set password. In yet other embodiments, the proxy himself mayselect the criteria to be used to authenticate himself. In theseembodiments, the criteria be a user-selected password and the proxy andthe customer may be the same individual.

It should be understood that, in the application, the term proxy relatesto an individual that is being authenticated using the augmented/virtualreality systems and methods described herein. The proxy, as describedherein, may or may not carry out one or more actions on behalf of adifferent individual after his authentication using theaugmented/virtual reality systems and methods.

The authentication system may include a financial institution platformfor receiving, from a customer, one or more of a a voice recording, acustomer bank account number, two or more physical features of theproxy, two or more actions for being performing by the proxy in avirtual reality environment, and/or an amount of funds to be withdrawnfrom the customer bank account and transferred to the proxy. The two ormore actions may be performed by the proxy by manipulating an avatardisplayed to the proxy on a virtual reality headset.

The financial institution platform may include two more processors. Thefinancial institution platform may include a graphical user interface.The customer may upload data to the graphical user interface. Thegraphical user interface may be presented on a financial institution'sbaking website or any other suitable website. The customer may updatedata that defines his proxy and assists in the identification of hisproxy at a remote location.

The customer may subsequently communicate to his proxy the two or moreactions that customer selected for being performed in the virtualreality environment. This may enable the customer to create his ownmeans for his proxy's identification and enable him to communicate thevirtual reality actions to the proxy in whichever method he feels mostsecure. This also gives the customer greater involvement in his proxy'sauthentication process.

In some embodiments, once the proxy has been authenticated, the proxymay be given certain permissions, passwords, funds, etc. The proxy maythen use these permissions, passwords and/or funds to execute actions onbehalf of the customer. In exemplary embodiments, the customer mayrequest the proxy to execute a financial transaction on his behalf. Inadditional exemplary embodiments, the customer may request the proxy totransfer money to a third party on his behalf.

The two or more physical features may be selected from a groupcomprising hair color, height, eye color, weight and/or any othersuitable physical feature. The two or more actions may be selected froma group including grabbing an object, lifting up an object, throwing anobject, placing an object in a basket, jumping, rolling, sitting, lyingdown and flying, smashing, shooting, eating, putting on a piece ofclothing, walking, running, building, and any other action that may beperformed in a virtual reality environment.

The authentication system may include a scanner including facialrecognition technology for scanning at least a portion of a physicalform of the proxy. The scanner may transmit the scanned data to afinancial transaction engine.

In some embodiments, the virtual reality environment may prompt theproxy to create an avatar having his own personal physical features. Thephysical features that the proxy is prompted to select for his avatarmay include at least the two or more physical feature of the proxy inputby the customer into the financial institution platform. The proxy maybe prompted to select for his avatar features that match his ownpersonal features.

For example, if a user input into the platform that the proxy has blondehair and green eyes, the proxy may be prompted to select the hair colorand eye color of his avatar. If the proxy does not select an avatarhaving blonde hair and green eyes, the two features input by thecustomer into the platform, the proxy may not be authenticated by theauthentication system. In some of these embodiments the authenticationsystem may include the scanner and authentication steps associated withthe scanner. In some of these embodiments the authentication system maynot include the scanner and the authentication steps associated with thescanner.

The authentication system may include the virtual reality headset fordisplaying to the proxy the virtual reality environment and for trackingthe proxy's actions in the virtual reality environment. The proxy mayperform actions in the virtual reality environment by manipulating anavatar. The virtual reality headset may transmit data relating to theproxy's actions in the virtual reality environment to the financialtransaction engine.

The virtual reality headset may display the avatar within the virtualreality environment. The avatar may include the two or more physicalfeatures of the proxy. The avatar may include two or more physicalfeatures of the customer.

The authentication system may include the financial transaction engineincluding a set of processors. The set of processors may determine ifthe scanned physical form of the proxy includes the two or more featuresand determining if the proxy's actions in the virtual realityenvironment are included the two or more actions. The proxy's actions inthe virtual environment may be performed by the avatar.

In some embodiments, if the proxy performs an action in the virtualreality environment that is not included in the two or more actions, theset of processors may decline to authenticate the proxy.

In some embodiments, the proxy may execute a first set of actions notwithin the two or more actions that will not result in the proxy's notbeing authenticated to the system, such as simply moving the avatarthrough the virtual reality environment, opening doors, looking throughwindows, etc. However, the proxy may execute a second set of actionsthat are not included in the two or more actions that, when executed,will result in the proxy's not being authenticated to the system, suchas the avatar picking up a coin, building or destroying something, orexecuting any other similar action that modifies a state of objectswithin the virtual reality environment.

In the event that that the physical form includes the two or morefeatures and the proxy's actions include the two or more actions, theset of processors may authenticate the proxy. In some embodiments, thecustomer may not upload features of the proxy to the database. In theseembodiments, the apparatus may not include the scanner and theauthentication may not be based on the two or more features.

The two or more processors may transmit to the proxy, afterauthentication, two or more passwords and/or funds. The two or moreprocessors may update one or more databases to record that the proxy hasaccess permissions or signatory permissions to one or more customeraccounts.

The authentication of the proxy by the transaction engine may includeauthenticating the proxy to execute a financial transaction on behalf ofthe customer and transferring funds to the proxy from a financialaccount of the customer.

When the customer is a first customer, the authentication of the proxyby the transaction engine may include authenticating the proxy toexecute a financial transaction on behalf of a second customer. Theauthentication of the proxy may also include transferring funds to theproxy from a financial account of the first customer to execute thetransaction on behalf of the second customer.

The authentication of the proxy by the transaction engine may complete averification step of a transaction, wherein the transaction includes twoor more verification steps. The authentication of the proxy by thetransaction engine may be a first or intermediate step in a multi-partverification process of a transaction, wherein the transaction includestwo or more verification steps.

The authentication of the proxy by the transaction engine may complete apending transaction. For example, when the proxy is a businessexecutive, the authentication of the proxy/business executive may be thefinal verification step required to authenticate a large transaction, abusiness deal, a merger/acquisition, or any other suitable business orfinancial agreement.

The authentication of the proxy by the transaction engine may includegiving the proxy permissions to access a customer bank account. Theauthentication of the proxy may include updating an electronic signaturedatabase to include authorizing the proxy as a signatory of thecustomer.

In some embodiments, the set of processors may instruct an audio playerto play the voice recording in the event that that physical formincludes the two or more features and the proxy's actions include thetwo or more actions.

The authentication system may include the audio player. The audio playermay play the voice recording to the proxy. The audio player may beintegral to the headset. The audio player may be separate from theheadset.

When the customer is a first customer, the voice recording may includeinstructions from the first customer, to the proxy, regarding thetransferring of funds to a second customer or any other instructions ormessages. In some embodiments, the avatar displayed by the virtualheadset may resemble the first customer. The voice recording may includeverbal instructions, from the first customer, to the proxy. The verbalinstructions may include instructions regarding actions that the proxyis to perform for the second customer. The verbal instructions mayinclude an authorization code for the proxy to use when executing atransaction for the second customer.

The authentication system may include a printer. The printer may printfor the proxy a transcript of the voice recording after the audio playerhas finished playing the voice recording.

The financial transaction engine may withdraw the amount of funds fromthe customer bank account and transfer the funds to the proxy afterinstructing the audio player to play the voice recording. The customermay be a first customer. The proxy may use the funds to execute one ormore transactions for a second customer in accordance with the firstcustomer's request in the voice recording.

The authentication system may include a biometrics sensor. The financialinstitution may receive from the customer biometric data. The biometricssensor may receive biometric data from the proxy. The second set ofprocessors may determine if biometric data received from the biometricsensor matches the biometric data received from the customer. If thedata does not match, the two or more processors may not authenticate theproxy. If the data does match, and the remaining authenticationconditions are met, the two or more processors may authenticate theproxy.

In some embodiments, the financial institution platform may receive,from the user, an order in which the input two or more actions must beperformed within the virtual reality environment. In some of theseembodiments, the virtual reality headset may store an order in which theproxy's actions were performed in the virtual reality environment. Theset of processors may authenticate the proxy only if the physical formincludes the two or more features, the proxy's actions include the twoor more actions and the two or more actions are performed in the orderinput by the user in the financial institution platform.

In some embodiments, the proxy may be provided with a limited time toperform the two or more actions in the virtual reality environment. Thevirtual reality headset may include a timer that is activated when theproxy begins to interact with the virtual reality environment. When thetime hits a predetermined time, such as 1 minute, 2 minutes, 5 minutes,10 minutes, or any other suitable number of minutes, the proxy's sessionmay be terminated. The set of processors may then proceed to determinewhether or not to authenticate the proxy based on the proxy's actionswithin the virtual reality environment.

The virtual headset may include a geospatial locator. The virtualheadset may record a geospatial location at which the proxy's movementwas recorded. The platform may receive from the customer one or moregeospatial locations. The two or more processors may determine if thelocation of the headset determined by the geospatial locator is includedin the one or more geospatial locations received from the customer. Ifthe geospatial data does not match, the two or more processors may notauthenticate the proxy. If the geospatial data does match, and theremaining authentication conditions are met, the two or more processorsmay authenticate the proxy.

The virtual headset may append a timestamp to the actions performed bythe proxy in the virtual reality environment. The platform may receivefrom the customer a time range. The two or more processors may determineif the timestamp is included in the time range. If the timestamp is notincluded in the time range, the two or more processors may notauthenticate the proxy. If the timestamp is included in the time range,and the remaining authentication conditions are met, the two or moreprocessors may authenticate the proxy.

The virtual headset may include a sensor. The sensor may determine thewavelength and frequency of light exposed to the sensor. The headset maytransmit to the two or more processors data detailing frequency, orrange of frequencies, of light exposed to the sensor. The two or moreprocessors may store predetermined values for acceptable lightfrequencies for being exposed to the sensor. If the received data is notwithin the predetermined values, the two or more processors may notauthenticate the proxy.

The virtual reality headset may be used in a control room that is litwith light having a set range of frequencies. If the two or moreprocessors determine that the virtual reality headset was exposed tolight having frequencies outside the set range, the proxy may not beauthenticated. This may add an additional layer of security by ensuringthat the data is being generated in control room and not in a different,unsecured location.

The virtual reality headset may be used in a bank in which the lights iswithin a set range of frequencies. If the two or more processorsdetermine that the headset was exposed to light outside of the setrange, the proxy may not be authenticated.

In some embodiments, two or more processors may generate a first tokenin response to the authentication of the proxy's two or more actions andtwo or more features. The two or more processors may generate a secondtoken in response to the determining of the geospatial location of thevirtual headset. The first and second token, combined, may together forma one-time token that gives the proxy authentication to perform atransaction, make a payment, receive a payment, or perform any othersuitable action.

The one-time token may also include one or more additional or alternatetokens generated by the two or more processors in response to one, two,more, or each of the authentication of the proxy based on the biometricdata, the timestamp, the light exposed to the sensor, the time withinwhich the proxy's actions in the virtual reality environment wereperformed, or any other suitable authentication step(s) describedherein.

The apparatus and methods of the invention may include an authenticationsystem including a financial institution platform for receiving, from acustomer, two or more physical features of two or more proxies and twoor more actions for being performing by each of the two or more proxiesin a virtual reality environment. The apparatus may include the scanner,virtual reality headset and the financial transaction engine includingthe set of processors.

Each of the proxies may be assigned actions by the customer forexecuting in the virtual reality environment. The authentication of eachproxy may be performed as set forth above when detailing theauthentication of a single proxy by the financial transaction engineincluding the set of processors.

The avatar presented to each proxy may include physical features of theproxy input, by the customer, into the financial institution platform.In some embodiments, the customer may select a sequence for which proxymust be authenticated first, which one second, etc. In some of theseembodiments, the virtual reality environment displayed to each proxyafter the first proxy may be the environment last displayed to the mostprevious proxy that was authenticated.

In some embodiments, the virtual reality environment may displaydifferent data to each proxy. In some embodiments, a first proxy may bedisplayed an authentication page and a second proxy may be displayed anauthorization page. In some embodiments, a first proxy may be shown afirst set of instructions, a second proxy may be shown a second set ofinstructions, etc. This may assist in providing each proxy with only thedata that each proxy need to know when the transaction at issuesinvolves multiple, discrete steps that need to be performed by differentindividuals.

The authentication of each proxy may create a token. The token may bepart of a multi-part token. When each proxy in the group of proxies hasbeen authenticated, all the tokens of the multi-part token may begenerated and the multi-part token may be complete. Generation of allthe tokens included in the multi-part token may trigger a financialtransaction such as the transfer of funds, the closing of a businessdeal, or the start or completion of any other suitable business orfinancial agreement.

Each token may be assigned a weight. The weight of each token may bebased at last in part on the proxy's location within a hierarchy of abusiness. The larger the weight of the token, the more importance thetoken has within the multi-part token. For example, a C.E.O.'s token mayhave a much greater weight than a token created by a clerk.

The apparatus and methods of the invention may include an electronictransaction authentication system for authenticating a proxy on behalfof a customer.

The authentication system may include a first set of processors forreceiving from the customer a first two-dimensional pattern, a secondtwo-dimensional pattern, a third two-dimensional pattern and a sequencefor presenting the first, second and third pattern. The patterns mayinclude lines, shapes, pictures, and/or any other suitable markings ordrawings. An exemplary sequence is presenting a first of the facesfirst, a second of the faces second, and a third of the faces third, orin any other order.

The first set of processors may include a graphical user interface. Thecustomer may upload the patterns via a graphical user interface. Thegraphical user interface may be presented on a financial institution'sbaking website or any other suitable website.

The user may transmit the patterns to the proxy to enable the proxy toauthenticate himself at a financial institution or any otherinstitution. This enables the customer to participate in his proxy'sauthentication, giving the customer greater involvement in his proxy'sauthentication process. The customer's selection and uploading of thepatterns and the sequence enables the customer to create his own meansfor his proxy's identification and enables him to communicate the datato the proxy in whichever method he feels most secure.

Once the proxy has been authenticated, the proxy may be given certainpermissions, passwords, funds, etc. The proxy may then use thesepermissions, passwords and/or funds to execute actions on behalf of theuser. In exemplary embodiments, the user may request the proxy toexecute a financial transaction on his behalf. In additional exemplaryembodiments, the user may request the proxy to transfer money to a thirdparty on his behalf.

The authentication system may include a camera operable to record theproxy's movement of an object in space. The object may be a cube, asphere, a rhombus, or any other suitable three-dimensional object.

The camera may extract, from the recording, a first face of the objectpresented to the camera, a second face of the object presented to thecamera and a third face of the object presented to the camera. Thecamera may record a sequence in which the faces were presented to thecamera.

The authentication system may include a financial transaction engineincluding a second set of processors for receiving data from the firstset of processors and the camera and determining if each of the first,second and third face includes one of the first, second and thirdpatterns.

If each of the first, second and third faces includes one of the first,second and third patterns, the second set of processors may determine iffaces were presented to the camera in the sequence received from thefirst processor.

If each of the first, second and third faces include one of the first,second and third patterns, and if faces were presented to the camera inthe sequence received from the first processor, the second set ofprocessors may authenticate the proxy.

The second set of processors may decline to authenticate the proxy ifone or more of the first, second and third faces include a patterndifferent from the first, second and third patterns. The second set ofprocessors may decline to authenticate the proxy if faces were notpresented to the camera in the sequence received from the firstprocessor.

The authentication of the proxy by the transaction engine may includeauthenticating the proxy to execute a financial transaction on behalf ofthe customer and transferring funds to the proxy from a financialaccount of the customer.

When the customer is a first customer, the authentication of the proxyby the transaction engine may include authenticating the proxy toexecute a financial transaction on behalf of a second customer. Theauthentication of the proxy may also include transferring funds to theproxy from a financial account of the first customer to execute thetransaction on behalf of the second customer.

The authentication of the proxy by the transaction engine may complete averification step of a transaction, wherein the transaction includes twoor more verification steps. The authentication of the proxy by thetransaction engine may be a first or intermediate step in a multi-partverification process of a transaction, wherein the transaction includestwo or more verification steps.

The authentication of the proxy by the transaction engine may complete apending transaction. For example, when the proxy is a businessexecutive, the authentication of the proxy/business executive may be thefinal verification step required to authenticate a large transaction, abusiness deal, a merger/acquisition, or any other suitable business orfinancial agreement.

The authentication of the proxy by the transaction engine may includegiving the proxy permissions to access a customer bank account. Theauthentication of the proxy may include updating an electronic signaturedatabase to include authorizing the proxy as a signatory of thecustomer.

The authentication system may include a biometrics sensor. The first setof processors may receive the customer biometric data. The biometricssensor may receive biometric data from the proxy. The second set ofprocessors may determine if biometric data received from the biometricsensor matches the biometric data received from the customer. If thebiometric data matches, and the faces and sequence were determined tomatch, the second set of processors may authenticate the proxy. In theevent that biometric data received from the biometric sensor does notmatch the biometric data received from the customer, the second set ofprocessors may decline to authenticate the proxy.

The authentication system may include a scanner including facialrecognition technology. The first set of processors may receive from thecustomer a photograph of the proxy. The scanner may scan the face of theproxy. The second set of processors may determine if data received bythe scanner correlates to the photograph received from the customer. Ifthe scanned data correlates to the photograph, and the faces andsequence were determined to match, the second set of processors mayauthenticate the proxy. If the data received by the scanner does notcorrelate to the photograph received from the customer, the second setof processors may decline to authenticate the proxy.

The camera may include a geospatial locator. The camera may record ageospatial location at which the proxy's movement was recorded. Thefirst set of processors may receive from the customer one or moregeospatial locations. The second set of processors may determine if thelocation of the camera determined by the geospatial locator is includedin the one or more geospatial locations received from the customer. Ifthe geospatial locator is included in the one or more geospatiallocations, and the faces and sequence were determined to match, thesecond set of processors may authenticate the proxy. If the location ofthe camera determined by the geospatial locator is not included in theone or more geospatial locations received from the customer, the secondset of processors may decline to authenticate the proxy.

The camera may append a timestamp to the recorded data. The first set ofprocessors may receive from the customer a time range. The second set ofprocessors may determine if timestamp is included in the time range. Ifthe timestamp is included in the time range, the second set ofprocessors may authenticate the proxy. If the timestamp is not includedin the time range, the second set of processors may decline toauthenticate the proxy.

The second set of processors, after the authentication of the proxy, maygenerate a token. The token may be part of a multi-part token. Themulti-part token may be used to authenticate a transaction.

The first set of processors may receive from the customer two or morefirst, second and third two-dimensional patterns. Each set of first,second and third patterns may be associated with authenticating oneproxy included in a group of two or more proxies. The first set ofprocessors may also receive from the customer a sequence for presentingeach set of first, second and third patterns. The customer may uploadthe patterns via the graphical user interface. The graphical userinterface may be presented on a financial institution's baking websiteor any other suitable website. The customer may also input dataidentifying each of the proxies included in the group of two or moreproxies.

Each proxy may present to the camera a three-dimensional object. Theauthentication of each proxy may be performed as set forth above whendiscussing the authentication of a single proxy by the second set ofprocessors.

The authentication of each proxy may create a token. The token may bepart of a multi-part token. When each proxy in the group of proxies hasbeen authenticated, all the tokens of the multi-part token may begenerated. Generation of all the tokens included in the multi-part tokenmay effectuate a financial transaction such as the transfer of funds,close a business deal, or complete any other suitable business orfinancial agreement.

Each token may be assigned a weight. The weight of the token may relateto the location of the proxy in the hierarchy of a business. The largerthe weight of the token, the more importance the token has within themulti-part token. For example, a C.E.O.'s token may have a much greaterweight than a token created by a clerk.

The apparatus and methods of the invention may include a method forauthenticating a proxy for executing a transaction on behalf of acustomer. The authentication may be based on the movement of athree-dimensional object in space. The object may have a plurality offaces. The movement of the object may be tracked by a camera.

The method may include receiving, from a first set of processors, afirst two-dimensional pattern, a second two-dimensional pattern, a thirdtwo-dimensional pattern and a sequence for presenting the first, secondand third pattern.

The method may include tracking, using a camera, the movement of theobject in space. The method may also include capturing, using thecamera, a first face of the object presented to the camera, a secondface of the object presented to the camera and a third face of theobject presented to the camera. The method may further includerecording, using the camera, a sequence in which the faces werepresented to the camera.

The method may include transmitting data from each of the first set ofprocessors and the camera to a second set of processors. The method mayalso include determining, using the second set of processors, if each ofthe first, second and third face includes one of the first, second andthird patterns. The method may further include determining if thesequence recorded by the camera is equal to the sequence received fromthe first processors.

If each of the first, second and third faces include one of the first,second and third patterns, and if the sequence recorded by the camera isequal to the sequence received from the first processor, the method mayinclude using the second set of processors to authenticate the proxy forexecuting the transaction on behalf of the customer.

The method may also include using the second set of processors todecline to authenticate the proxy if one or more of the first, secondand third faces include a pattern different from the first, second andthird patterns. The method may further include using the second set ofprocessors to decline to authenticate the proxy if the sequence recordedby the camera is different from the sequence received from the firstprocessor.

The apparatus and methods of the invention may include an authenticationsystem including a combination of the augmented and virtual realitysystems and methods described herein.

For example, a customer may upload on a graphical user interface thefirst, second and third faces, the pattern, and also features of theproxy and/or actions to be performed by the proxy in a virtual realityenvironment.

The authentication system may include the camera, the scanner, thevirtual reality headset, the audio player, and the financial transactionengine. The authentication system may perform the functions describedabove in authenticating the pattern and sequence of the faces and inauthenticating the physical form of the proxy and the actions of theproxy in the virtual reality environment. The authentication system mayinclude a set of processors for authenticating the faces and sequence ofthe three-dimensional object and for authenticating the physical form ofthe proxy and the actions of the proxy in the virtual realityenvironment. The authentication system may some or all of the apparatusand methods described above.

Illustrative embodiments of apparatus and methods in accordance with theprinciples of the invention will now be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. It is to be understoodthat other embodiments may be utilized and structural, functional andprocedural modifications may be made without departing from the scopeand spirit of the present invention.

The drawings show illustrative features of apparatus and methods inaccordance with the principles of the invention. The features areillustrated in the context of selected embodiments. It will beunderstood that features shown in connection with one of the embodimentsmay be practiced in accordance with the principles of the inventionalong with features shown in connection with another of the embodiments.

Apparatus and methods described herein are illustrative. Apparatus andmethods of the invention may involve some or all of the features of theillustrative apparatus and/or some or all of the steps of theillustrative methods. The steps of the methods may be performed in anorder other than the order shown or described herein. Some embodimentsmay omit steps shown or described in connection with the illustrativemethods. Some embodiments may include steps that are not shown ordescribed in connection with the illustrative methods, but rather shownor described in a different portion of the specification.

One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the steps shownand described herein may be performed in other than the recited orderand that one or more steps illustrated may be optional. The methods ofthe above-referenced embodiments may involve the use of any suitableelements, steps, computer-executable instructions, or computer-readabledata structures. In this regard, other embodiments are disclosed hereinas well that can be partially or wholly implemented on acomputer-readable medium, for example, by storing computer-executableinstructions or modules or by utilizing computer-readable datastructures.

FIG. 1 shows illustrative graphical user interface 101. Illustrativegraphical user interface 101 may include welcome text 103. Illustrativegraphical user interface 101 may also include data input fields forinputting a proxy's personal data, such as Proxy Name 105, Address 107,Phone Number 109 and E-mail 111.

The user may also be presented with the option of uploading differentpatterns at Patterns 113. The patterns may be later presented to thecamera of the electronic transaction authentication system by the proxy.The user may be responsible for transmitting the patterns to the proxy.The graphical user display may include text stating “add more Patterns”(not shown) enabling the user to upload more than three patterns. Theuser may also select a sequence for displaying the patterns usingSequence of displaying pattern 115. Each drop-down box may include thenumbers 1-3, 1-6, 1-8, or any other suitable range of numbers. This mayallow the user to select a sequence for displaying the patterns to thecamera.

FIG. 2 shows illustrative graphical user interface 201. Illustrativegraphical user interface 201 may include welcome text 201. Illustrativegraphical user interface 201 may also include data input fields 205 forinputting a proxy's personal data. Illustrative graphical user interface201 may also include actions 207 for the proxy to perform in a virtualreality environment. Illustrative graphical user interface 201 may alsoinclude order 209 in which the proxy must execute the selected actions.Order 209 may be optional. In other embodiments, a user may simplyselect two or more actions for the proxy to perform in the virtualenvironment without specifying the order in which the two or moreactions must be performed.

FIG. 3 shows an illustrative process for performing in accordance withthe apparatus and methods of the invention. At step 301, the process mayinclude recording, using a camera, movement of a three-dimensionalobject having at least a first, second and a third face. At step 303 theprocess may include extracting from the recording a pattern displayed onthe faces that are presented to the camera. At step 305 the process mayinclude determining a sequence in which the faces, having the patterns,were viewed. At step 307 the process may include retrieving in adatabase stored patterns and a stored sequence of the patterns. At step309 the process may include determining if the recorded patterns and therecorded sequence match the stored patterns and the stored sequence. Atstep 311 the process may include, if the recorded and stored data match,authenticating the individual presenting the object to the camera forexecuting a financial transaction.

FIG. 4 shows an illustrative process for performing in accordance withthe apparatus and methods of the invention. At step 401 the process mayinclude presenting a display to a user. At step 403 that process mayinclude allowing the user to select an avatar, including hair color andfacial features. At step 405 the process may include displaying displaya virtual reality environment presenting the avatar with a plurality ofoptions. At step 407 the process may include recording options selectedby the user. At step 409 the process may include correlating theavatar's hair color and facial features with stored data including theuser's hair color and features. At step 411 the process may includedetermining if the options selected by the user are equivalent withstored options associated with authenticating a financial transaction.At step 413 the process may include, if the avatar's features match thestored user's features and if the selected options match the storedoptions, authenticating the user to execute the financial transaction.At step 415 the process may include, based on the avatar's features andthe selected options, creating a token or a part of a token to be usedin a financial transaction.

Thus, systems and methods for remote authentication of a proxy have beenprovided. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the presentinvention can be practiced by other than the described embodiments,which are presented for purposes of illustration rather than oflimitation.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electronic transaction authentication systemfor authenticating a proxy on behalf of a customer, the systemcomprising: a financial institution platform for receiving, from acustomer, a voice recording, a customer bank account number, two or morephysical features of the proxy, two or more actions for being performingby the proxy in a virtual reality environment, and an amount of funds tobe withdrawn from the customer bank account and transferred to theproxy; a scanner including facial recognition technology for scanning atleast a portion of a physical form of the proxy and transmitting thescanned data to a financial transaction engine; a virtual realityheadset for: displaying to the proxy the virtual reality environment;tracking the proxy's actions in the virtual reality environment; andtransmitting the tracked data to the financial transaction engine; thefinancial transaction engine including a set of processors for:determining if the scanned physical form of the proxy includes the twoor more features; determining if the proxy's actions in the virtualreality environment included the two or more actions; and if thephysical form includes the two or more features and the proxy's actionsinclude the two or more actions, authenticating the proxy andinstructing an audio player for playing the voice recording to theproxy; and the audio player for playing the voice recording to theproxy.
 2. The authentication system of claim 1 wherein the financialtransaction engine is further configured to withdraw the amount of fundsfrom the customer bank account and transfer the funds to the proxy afterinstructing the audio player to play the voice recording.
 3. Theauthentication system of claim 1 wherein, when the customer is a firstcustomer, the voice recording includes instructions to the proxy totransfer the funds to a second customer.
 4. The authentication system ofclaim 1 wherein the virtual reality headset is further configured todisplay an avatar within the virtual reality environment.
 5. Theauthentication system of claim 4 wherein the avatar includes the two ormore physical features.
 6. The authentication system of claim 1 furthercomprising a biometrics sensor wherein: a financial institution platformis further configured to receive from the customer biometric data; thebiometrics sensor is configured to receive biometric data from theproxy; and the second set of processors is configured to determine ifbiometric data received from the biometric sensor matches the biometricdata received from the customer.
 7. The authentication system of claim 1wherein the two or more actions are selected from a group comprisinggrabbing an object, lifting up an object, throwing an object, placing anobject in a basket, jumping, rolling, sitting, lying down and flying. 8.The authentication system of claim 1 further comprising a printer forprinting to the proxy a transcript of the voice recording after theaudio player has finished playing the voice recording.
 9. Theauthentication system of claim 1 wherein the two or more physicalfeatures are selected from a group comprising hair color, height, eyecolor and weight.
 10. An electronic transaction authentication systemfor authenticating a proxy on behalf of a customer, the systemcomprising: a first set of processors for receiving from the customer afirst two-dimensional pattern, a second two-dimensional pattern, a thirdtwo-dimensional pattern and a sequence for presenting the first, secondand third pattern; a camera operable to: record the proxy's movement ofan object in space; extract, from the recording, a first face of theobject presented to the camera, a second face of the object presented tothe camera and a third face of the object presented to the camera; andrecord a sequence in which the faces were presented to the camera; afinancial transaction engine including a second set of processors for:receiving data from the first set of processors and the camera;determining if each of the first, second and third face includes one ofthe first, second and third patterns; if each of the first, second andthird faces includes one of the first, second and third patterns,determining if faces were presented to the camera in the sequencereceived from the first processor; if each of the first, second andthird faces include one of the first, second and third patterns, and iffaces were presented to the camera in the sequence received from thefirst processor, authenticating the proxy; declining to authenticate theproxy if one or more of the first, second and third faces include apattern different from the first, second and third patterns; anddeclining to authenticate the proxy if faces were not presented to thecamera in the sequence received from the first processor.
 11. Theauthentication system of claim 10 wherein the authenticating of theproxy by the transaction engine includes authenticating the proxy toexecute a financial transaction on behalf of the customer andtransferring funds to the proxy from a financial account of thecustomer.
 12. The authentication system of claim 10 wherein, when thecustomer is a first customer, the authenticating of the proxy by thetransaction engine includes authenticating the proxy to execute afinancial transaction on behalf of a second customer and transferringfunds to the proxy from a financial account of the first customer toexecute the transaction on behalf of the second customer.
 13. Theauthentication system of claim 10 wherein the authenticating of theproxy by the transaction engine completes a verification step of atransaction, wherein the transaction includes two or more verificationsteps.
 14. The authentication system of claim 10 wherein theauthenticating of the proxy by the transaction engine completes apending transaction.
 15. The authentication system of claim 10 whereinthe authenticating of the proxy by the transaction engine includesgiving the proxy permissions to access a customer bank account andupdating an electronic signature database to include authorizing theproxy as a signatory of the customer.
 16. The authentication system ofclaim 10 further comprising a biometrics sensor wherein: the first setof processors is further configured to receive from the customerbiometric data; the biometrics sensor is configured to receive biometricdata from the proxy; and the second set of processors is configured to:determine if biometric data received from the biometric sensor matchesthe biometric data received from the customer; and if biometric datareceived from the biometric sensor does not match the biometric datareceived from the customer, declining to authenticate the proxy.
 17. Theauthentication system of claim 10 further comprising a scanner includingfacial recognition technology wherein: the first set of processors isfurther configured to receive from the customer a photograph of theproxy; the scanner is configured to scan the face of the proxy; and thesecond set of processors is further configured to: determine if datareceived by the scanner correlates to the photograph received from thecustomer; and if the data received by the scanner does not correlate tothe photograph received from the customer, declining to authenticate theproxy.
 18. The authentication system of claim 10 wherein: the cameraincludes a geospatial locator and is configured to record a geospatiallocation at which the proxy's movement was recorded; the first set ofprocessors is further configured to receive from the customer one ormore geospatial locations; the second set of processors is furtherconfigured to: determine if the location of the camera determined by thegeospatial locator is included in the one or more geospatial locationsreceived from the customer; and if the location of the camera determinedby the geospatial locator is not included in the one or more geospatiallocations received from the customer, declining to authenticate theproxy.
 19. The authentication system of claim 10 wherein: the camera isfurther configured to append a timestamp to the recorded data; the firstset of processors is further configured to receive from the customer atime range; the second set of processors is further configured to:determine if timestamp is included in the time range; and if thetimestamp is not included in the time range, declining to authenticatethe proxy.
 20. The authentication system of claim 10 wherein the secondset of processors is further configured to, after the authentication ofthe proxy, generate a token that is part of a multi-part token, themulti-part token being used to authenticate a transaction.
 21. A methodfor authenticating a proxy for executing a transaction on behalf of acustomer, the authentication being based on the movement of athree-dimensional object in space, the object having a plurality offaces, the movement being tracked by a camera, the method comprising:receiving, from a first set of processors, a first two-dimensionalpattern, a second two-dimensional pattern, a third two-dimensionalpattern and a sequence for presenting the first, second and thirdpattern; tracking, using a camera, the movement of the object in space;capturing, using the camera, a first face of the object presented to thecamera, a second face of the object presented to the camera and a thirdface of the object presented to the camera; recording, using the camera,a sequence in which the faces were presented to the camera; transmittingdata from each of the first set of processors and the camera to a secondset of processors; determining, using the second set of processors, ifeach of the first, second and third face includes one of the first,second and third patterns; determining if the sequence recorded by thecamera is equal to the sequence received from the first processor; ifeach of the first, second and third faces include one of the first,second and third patterns, and if the sequence recorded by the camera isequal to the sequence received from the first processor, using thesecond set of processors to authenticate the proxy for executing thetransaction on behalf of the customer; using the second set ofprocessors to decline to authenticate the proxy if one or more of thefirst, second and third faces include a pattern different from thefirst, second and third patterns; and using the second set of processorsto decline to authenticate the proxy if the sequence recorded by thecamera is different from the sequence received from the first processor.